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Last Updated: Jun 19, 2024
The arrival of your belongings at your new home depends on factors like distance, size, unexpected problems, and many more.
Let’s face it, moving long distances can be taxing and complex, to say the least. But, by hiring a moving company, you’ll be able to reduce your stress and the burden of handling everything yourself.
In this article, we’ll uncover the 10 biggest factors that affect delivery time for long distance moving companies.
Understanding these factors can help you better plan and manage your long-distance move with ease and efficiency, allowing for a smoother long-distance move.
This is the most obvious factor affecting delivery time. Generally, the greater the distance between your current and new location, the longer it will take for your belongings to arrive. This includes the physical distance traveled and any detours/alternate routes taken.
When planning your move, consider the mileage and estimated travel time provided by your moving company to anticipate delivery times.
The form of transportation might also affect the delivery time. For long-distance moving, companies may employ the use of trucks, trains, or a combination of both.
Each transportation mode has its own set of advantages and drawbacks, which affects the speed and efficiency of transportation. While trucks offer flexibility and door-to-door service, trains may provide faster transit times for certain routes.
Understanding the pros and cons of each transportation mode can help you make informed decisions in your move.
To reduce delivery time, route planning is essential to long-distance moves. The travel time can be accelerated by choosing routes with the least amount of traffic, road closures, or construction zones.
Utilizing cutting-edge routing software like MoveitPro or Kickserv, moving companies are able to determine the quickest and most effective routes for every relocation.
Weather conditions significantly influence delivery time. Unfavorable weather conditions, like rain, snow, or hurricanes, can cause delays in transit and put drivers’ safety at risk.
Moving companies might have to modify their timetables or routes in order to get through bad weather in the quickest time possible.
It’s essential to monitor weather forecasts and communicate with your moving company to make backup plans in the case of bad weather.
This one is pretty obvious. More time is needed to load, unload, and transport larger loads, which increases the delivery time.
In order to handle larger cargo, moving companies would have to make more stops or employ bigger vehicles.
If you have a significant amount of belongings to move, discuss delivery times and logistics with your moving company well in advance. You don’t want plans to be made at the last second when dealing with large loads.
Long-distance transportation companies frequently face traffic congestion, particularly in urban areas and along major highways.
Delivery schedules may be impacted by delays caused by heavy traffic. Moving companies may schedule extra time for any traffic delays when planning their routes and estimating delivery times.
Delivery time is almost always impacted by the moving company’s carrier capacity. Customer wait times and scheduling restrictions may come up from a shortage of trucks or trailers.
For this reason, we suggest scheduling your move well in advance to guarantee your desired delivery dates and ensure the transportation of your belongings on time.
When choosing a moving company, opting for one with extensive experience can make a world of difference when it comes to efficiency and delivery time for long-distance moves.
Experienced moving companies have a systemized process that’s been refined over many years. They’re familiar with the most efficient routes to take and they deal with unexpected challenges often, making them prepared for the worst.
Scheduling constraints, such as peak moving season or holidays, can impact delivery times for long-distance moving companies.
During busy periods (i.e. summer & weekends), moving companies may experience higher demand and limited availability, leading to longer wait times for delivery. To avoid scheduling conflicts, plan ahead of time and schedule your relocation during off-peak times.
Effective communication between customers and moving companies is probably the most important aspect of managing delivery expectations.
If you don’t have a clear line of communication and trust, then what do you have?
Establishing an open relationship ensures there are no miscues when dealing with pickup and delivery dates, special instructions, or unexpected problems.
Make sure you receive regular updates from the moving company to ease worries about your belongings reaching their destination on time.
Professional moving companies have been trained to handle all aspects of the moving process with ease and efficiency.
These companies have expertise in packing, shipping, and moving regulations. If an unexpected problem arises, they will know how to handle it.
Moving cross-country is not only physically demanding, but it’s also mentally draining. Moving heavy items like furniture or tables when untrained is a recipe for disaster.
Moving companies have skilled and experienced employees who handle heavy lifting on a day-to-day basis, as well as the process of packing, transportation, and unpacking. A moving company allows you to allocate your effort in other places.
Relocating is stressful. There’s no denying it.
Moving companies employ the use of technology and software to make the move as efficient as possible. They plan out every step of the process, from the packing and unloading to the proper routes to take by using cutting-edge software.
The duration of the moving process depends on various factors like distance, shipment size, and time of year.
Local moves typically take a few hours to a day while long-distance moves may require several days or weeks. Always discuss timelines with your moving company beforehand.
A move is generally considered long-distance when it exceeds 150 miles from the origin point or crosses state lines.
Long-distance moves often involve different regulations and pricing structures compared with local relocations.
Choose wisely when it comes to moving services because delivery times can be a pain in the butt if you choose a non-reputable and non-experienced moving company. We know hundreds of people who have employed a moving company, only to get days or weeks tacked onto their delivery time because of “unexpected delays.”
The best thing you can do to alleviate your stress is plan ahead of time (~2 months) and have constant open communication between you and the moving company. Establishing trust and a good relationship early on goes a long way.
We hope this article gave you proper insights into the factors affecting delivery time and how to plan for the best move possible.
Meet Harrison, a writer with a real passion for real estate and moving. For the past three years, he's been putting his writing skills to use for companies in these industries, but his experience with moving extends far beyond his keyboard. In fact, he's moved over a dozen times himself, sometimes with the help of professionals, and other times by taking on the move all on his own. Through these experiences, he's learned some valuable lessons about what can make a move a breeze, and what can turn it into a stressful nightmare. And when he's not busy writing, you can find him researching ways to make his next move as smooth and easy as possible.